End users have more media and communication choices than ever before. A number of prominent technological trends are changing the media landscape. These trends include more computing devices, more applications, more online video services, and more customizable features, among others. In regards to mobility, companies such as Apple, Inc., along with its mobile product lines (e.g., iPhone™, iPad™, iPod™, etc.), have successfully executed on the application model. As a natural consequence, operating systems (e.g., Microsoft Windows 8/Metro™) have changed to comply with this explosive application model.
One shortcoming of the application model involves managing the numerous applications on a typical device. Home screens are often cluttered with application icons and lack efficient navigational tools and multitasking capabilities. With many mobile devices now available with 32 gigabyte and even 64 gigabyte memory, users could potentially acquire hundreds, or even thousands, of applications. Paging through many screens to view so many applications is inefficient. Although applications can be grouped into folders, navigation through the folders can be cumbersome and frustrating if the user cannot remember the folder in which a particular application was stored. Additionally, the inability of applications to be accessed directly from a current application on the mobile screen inhibits the ability of the user to multitask.